With Paris Saint-Germain's fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title already locked up, two Champions League spots remain for six sides separated by six points with five matches left.
Lyon, Monaco, Nice, Rennes, Saint-Etienne, and Lille are all still in the thick of a chase for a second-place automatic bid for Europe's marquee continental tournament and a third-place qualification spot.
Here's what the table looks like with five matches left:
| Pos. | Club | Pts. | Goal +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lyon | 55 | +20 |
| 3 | Monaco | 55 | +8 |
| 4 | Nice | 53 | +13 |
| 5 | Rennes | 51 | +8 |
| 6 | Saint-Etienne | 51 | +5 |
| 7 | Lille | 49 | +8 |
On form alone, Lyon and Lille standout with five wins out of their last six each, and on the opposite end, Monaco has just one victory in its last six matches paired with two defeats and a trio of draws.
Besides the financial kick European football provides, summer transfer ambitions are tethered to midweek participation in either of the two tournaments, where the allure of Champions League football is often the deciding factor for a player making the switch between clubs.
Lyon's last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Nice (H) | 4th | 3-0 L |
| Toulouse (A) | 19th | 3-0 W |
| Gazelec (H) | 18th | 2-1 L |
| Monaco (H) | 3rd | 1-1 D |
| Reims (A) | 17th | 1-0 W |
Opponents average position: 12th
Points from reverse fixtures: 7
Marquee matchup: Coin toss between home tilts against Nice and Monaco loom large for Bruno Genesio's squad, though a 3-0 defeat to Hatem Ben Arfa and mates in the reverse fixture may prompt a desire for vengeance. That defeat in November kicked off a five-match tailspin in all competitions, highlighted by a dismal Champions League loss to visiting Belgian minnows Gent that cost Hubert Fournier his job.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 3/10
Monaco's last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Marseille (H) | 14th | 3-3 D |
| Rennes (A) | 5th | 1-1 D |
| Guingamp (H) | 15th | 3-3 D |
| Lyon (A) | 2nd | 1-1 D |
| Montpellier (H) | 16th | 2-3 W |
Opponents average position: 10th
Points from reverse fixtures: 7
Marquee matchup: A trip to Lyon's shiny new Stade des Lumieres for the season's penultimate fixture should determine at least one of the two Champions League spots. Like Les Gones, Monaco alternates between European hopefuls and sides fighting off relegation in its final five fixtures.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 4/9
Nice's last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon (A) | 2nd | 3-0 W |
| Reims (H) | 17th | 1-1 D |
| Nantes (A) | 10th | 1-2 L |
| Saint-Etienne (H) | 6th | 1-4 W |
| Guingamp (A) | 15th | 1-0 L |
Opponents average position: 10th
Points from reverse fixtures: 7
Marquee matchup: While the trip to the Rhone valley to face Lyon will be a hotly contested clash between two offensive-minded sides, the home match against Les Verts on May 7 could decide the fate of two sides desperate to compete in the Champions League.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 11/4
Rennes last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Guingamp (H) | 15th | 0-2 W |
| Monaco (H) | 3rd | 1-1 D |
| Paris SG (A) | 1st | 1-0 L |
| Montpellier (A) | 16th | 1-0 W |
| Bastia (H) | 11th | 2-1 L |
Opponents average position: 9th
Points from reverse fixtures: 7
Marquee matchup: With teenage goal-machine Ousmane Dembele leading Les Rouges at Noirs' second-half surge, Rennes has emerged as one of the league's better stories. A trip to the capital to face PSG could be straightforward if Laurent Blanc's lot are still focused on this season's Champions League.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 4/1
Saint-Etienne's last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Bastia (A) | 11th | 2-1 W |
| Lorient (H) | 13th | 0-1 W |
| Toulouse (H) | 19th | 1-2 L |
| Nice (A) | 4th | 4-1 L |
| Lille (H) | 7th | 0-1 L |
Opponents average position: 11th
Points from reverse fixtures: 6
Marquee matchup: A trip to the south coast for the second-to-last league match coupled with a visit from Frederic Antonetti's upstart Lille a week later could amount to either elation or heartbreak for Christophe Galtier's goal-starved lot.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 6/1
Lille's last five:
| Opp. | Opp. Pos. | Last Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Gazelec (A) | 18th | 1-0 W |
| Angers (H) | 8th | 0-2 L |
| Lorient (A) | 13th | 1-1 D |
| Guingamp (H) | 15th | 1-1 D |
| Saint-Etienne (A) | 6th | 1-0 W |
Opponents average position: 12th
Points from reverse fixtures: 8
Marquee matchup: Considering how poorly Lille started the season and how many key players it lost in the summer, it's astonishing Les Dogues even have a shot at continental football. A trip to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on the final day provides Lille's greatest run-in challenge.
Odds to earn a Champions League spot: 11/1
